Noira's POV

Thranduil stroked along my back gently, as we were standing in the brightening garden. The weather reminded me of the icy winter of my land, but still, we stayed there a little, forgetting those insignificant things, like temperature or time. My head rested on his chest, so I could hear his steady, little fast heartbeats. I tightened my hug around his waist.

'Let's go back and change these wet clothes' he said softly. 'You'll freeze to death'

'I will not' I pushed my face to his neck, as a little cat. 'I like this weather'

Without a hint of agreement, he sighed finally, and kissed my forehead. The tip of my nose tickled his neck slightly, as I made a wide smile, and I made some extra tickling movements with it playfully, just for fun. It caused him inhale sharply.

'Noira' he said, and pulled away a little. I chuckled, and apologized. I rather reached to his head, and started to massage his nape softly, making him let out a quiet moan. My fingers kept working, until I got lost in my thoughts.

It was cute, how nervous he was. There were two modes of him, as I saw. Yelling with red head, or being afraid of even touch the other's hand. But tickling the neck?! Noo. Maybe in the land of the dwarves. Yes, in their land, it would have been alright for sure, but not at my race. I've spent too much time with strangers, I guess. It's just indecent. Rough men and rough dwarves...

Oh God, I almost forgot about them!

I opened my mouth to ask the question, when Thranduil's lips touched my jaw softly. I gasped, before he could kiss me, however, my question left my mouth.

'Why haven't you helped the dwarves?' I felt his hot breath, as he sighed, and leaned away.

'Well...' he said hoarsely 'I was about to follow your rebel nature and do something unbecoming, but... Fortunately, you know how to kill the moment' he made a weak smile, and I blushed terribly. Oh how much I didn't want to do that! Cupping his face, I pulled him close and placed another gentle kiss onto his cherry lips.

'What was the question?' he whispered, taking my black tresses behind my long ear. I looked into his cloudy eyes, while found my thought again, and shown an apologetic grin.

'The dwarves... and your perspective'

'Oh, you'll allow me to tell you this time?' he asked, with his eyebrow running high on his forehead.

'If you allow me to know' I nodded pleasingly, resting my hands on his arms. 'Oh God, you're trembling!' I said angrily, and realized, his mouth was completely blue for now. 'You're frozen, why the Hell haven't you told me earlier?' I argued, and pulled him toward the door, but he placed his arm around my waist, and led me to the opposite direction.

'I have to show you something'

I followed him to a little garden, what looked like the forest itself, since, it was a mess, the grass grew high, and excepting some little white flowers, there was nothing there, what I've seen in the other beautiful gardens, next to the palace. As if nobody had visited this place at all. It had its own strange beauty, by the way. I saw white pillars in a circle, and in the middle, a statue stood proudly. It was an elleth. I stepped closer. Her kind face showed sadness, almost as if she has missed something precious. Or the creator did... Maybe, her life, I thought. Nobody create a statue like this for a living person. The air became heavy around me, as I was reading the pretty face, and I realized, Thranduil wasn't next to me. I found him sitting on a stone bench behind me. I joined him, and he pulled me close, so I could lean my head onto his strong shoulder.

'What is this place?' I asked, looking, as the sunrise painted everything to orange and pink, adding a little lightness into the massive silence. 'It looks like, everybody forgot about it. Look at the grass...'

'Well...' he cleared his throat 'I am the only one, who comes here sometimes. Nobody else is allowed. And... I don't know how to gardening' I glared at him in surprise. 'She is...' he pointed to the statue 'She was the queen of the Woodland Realm. On my side'

I gasped, and couldn't tear my gaze from his, as he was speaking about his past. He told me about the alliance between the three nations, about an evil creature, who had been an elf long ago, Sauron, about the peaceful years, when he met Silivren, the future queen. He told me, how everything went wrong, how Sauron became their worst enemy, how the One Ring ruined their peace and alliance at once, and how his father died in the Great War, forcing him to rule this land. About the king of the dwarves, who did not give any treasure from the mountain to the other kingdoms, to the men and elves. After that, Thranduil also did not give any respect to him, as a response. About the short happiness, the wedding, the elfling Legolas, and finally, about the growing darkness, the fight against the orcs, and the death of his wife.

'I could not keep her back from fighting. She was so stubborn...'

He wiped away my tears, and continued. It was funny, that I was the one, who could not hold the them back.

He told me, he had made a necklace from pure white gems, and gave it to Silivren, when she was pregnant with Legolas. After her death, this was all, that last from her, and the king of the dwarves found happiness in not giving it back to Thranduil. After that, the originally cold friendship broke into a million pieces, and turned into hate.

'I take the responsibility, Noira. And I accept, if I made a bad choice' he sighed, and leaned his head on mine. 'But since I am a ruler, I get involved into situations again and again, where there's no good choice. That monster in the depths of the mountain was woken up because of the king's greed. It was his fault. I've chosen not to save his kin, but save my soldiers' life instead, and I did not regret it.'

'He... this king, he was the father of the one in the dungeons?' I asked quietly, and he only nodded. It was now morning, the sun shined down to us, and I can tell you, we looked like as we felt like. Tired.

°°

'Change these clothes, and sleep a little' he kissed my forehead, and entered his chambers, being followed by a couple of servants. I was about to enter mine, when heard strange voices coming from the hall. Fräynn and at least twenty guards run across the place with bows in the hand. Something was wrong. I could feel it in the air. Not to mention the shock on the captain's face. Stepping one to their direction, I was about to follow them, but stopped, when I saw, I wore a dress again, I could not fight in normally. I turned to my chamber, thinking. But I didn't have time for this! I turned to them again, but something was still missing. I stormed into my chamber, grabbed my swords, and rushed to the door, I saw them going out.

I run to the gates, into the forest, and to the stony riverside, and could hardly breathe, when I finally reached the group. They were already in a fight with the orcs, but what I didn't expect to see was the group of dwarves fleeing along the water. We were shooting them, not just the beasts.

I was confused, since I had no idea, how could they leave their cells, and come out of the castle. I knew, I've done the same earlier, but that was different. Next to this, I was not ready to see them dead, for I had no idea if I liked them, or the opposite. From this now worthless thinking, an orc blade tore me out, what almost cut my head off. I pierced the beast up to a tree, and cut another one with my other sword. I recognized Tauriel and Legolas fighting on the stones, and as they and the dwarves were receding, I grabbed my weapons, and followed them quickly. Stepping on the slippery surface, I almost fell into the water, and my dress didn't help too much. I leaned down quickly, cutting the skirt a little, when something cold met the back of my head, and the world went black.

After a time, what felt like only some seconds, strong hands grabbed my shoulders, and shook me firmly, but still gently. I sensed I was freezing, and my head hurt, but could not open my eyes. Listening to the sounds, I thought, I was in the water, or maybe next to the sea. My mind was so cloudy. I was slowly lifted up, and two warm arms pressed me against a warm body.

'Noira, hey! Look at me!' said a familiar voice. I opened my eyes a little only to see Fräynn's worried glare, as he was holding me. The sun was high on the sky, it was not morning anymore. I was not sure, I remembered, what happened, but I tried not to ask stupid questions. I just said thank you finally. He hugged me so strong, my bones almost broke.

'Oh for the Valar...' he said into my hair. 'When I saw you laying in the river... I honestly thought, you were dead. But... I killed those bastards next to you!'

'I cannot be glad enough' I smiled.

'We have to go back' he said, and started to walk back toward the gates.

'Eh, Fräynn, I guess I can walk' I looked up at him, but he shook his head.

'I'll put you down at the entrance, if you wish, when you see only one from your environment again' Okay. I could not argue with this. 'Sorry for the hurry, but I... so I sent Tauriel to represent me in front of King Thranduil, until I find you, and I don't want her to be beheaded instead of me' he swallowed soundly.

I was wondering why the hell would the king behead him, but I've lost this thought about the part of the king.

Oh my God! I had to find him immediately! He had to be informed, that I was nowhere to be found. He might have thought, I got hurt, or escaped with the dwarves! Each of them had to make him brutally mad. I had to speak with him!

Thranduil's POV

My head expected to explode. If the lack of sleep was not enough, the dwarves somehow managed to escape from my perfectly guarded dungeons, and left my kingdom without any trouble. If we had no real protection at our borders, we had nothing.

Orc hordes surrounded Mirkwood, they dared to come closer and closer with every day, but it still hit me hard, that my guards met them at that moment, when they went to capture the fleeing Thorin Oakenshield, and his company. The beasts were waiting at our walls. They arrived. Even if they were brainless, unviable beings, it looked like... they were organized.

I looked, as Tauriel stormed away, with a false respectful bow, after I forbade her to kill the orc, we hunted down at the river. Legolas' grab tightened, as he pressed his sword to the beast's ugly neck. My head kept pulsing, for I knew, I didn't know about something essential, and that also didn't help, that my son kept arguing with an orc about the possibility of Thorin reaching the mountain and becoming king. I started to count the seconds back till I would end this circus by a simple cut.

'You know nothing. Your world will burn' the orc dared to threaten him, making the blood boil in my veins.

'What are you talking about? Speak!' Legolas shouted.

'Our times has come... My master serves the One' it said smiling. I needed a second to understand its words. To know, I'd heard them clearly. The creature enjoyed every single moment, while the clear horror slowly appeared in my eyes.

'Do you understand now, Elfling?' it laughed. 'Death id upon you. The flames of war... are upon you-' It groaned, as my blade cut its neck, and leaving its head behind in my son's hand, the dirty body landed on the floor. Finally muted.

My lungs went empty, if I would have been kicked to the stomach. A freezing shock broke into my mind, making me unable to think clearly. I stood there stock still, grabbing my bloody sword, but I didn't even sense it anymore. My thoughts wondered very far. I felt my son's eyes on me, not understanding the meaning of the orc's words, but those words echoed in my head endlessly, as flying vultures above a corpse.

My master serves the One. Death is upon you...

'Why did you do that? You promised to set him free' Legolas asked, tearing me out of my state. I let out a trembling sigh, trying to find my usual emotionless voice again.

'And I did' I walked to him, and stepped onto the orc's leg, stopping his worthless moving. 'I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders'

'There was more the orc could tell us' he kept arguing, not sensing I was on the verge of my cool blood. He was not a king, not even someone, who had any knowledge of what was happening around. He didn't know, for he hadn't lived then. This was not the right time for playing ruler.

'There was nothing more he could tell me' I pushed the last word, and left him there.

'What did he mean by the flames of war?' he followed me.

'It means they intend to unleash a weapon so great... it will destroy all before it' I murmured just to myself, under my breath, then turned back to my guards. 'I want the watch doubled at our borders! All roads, all rivers! Nothing moves, but I hear of it!' I ordered them on a false calm voice, and addressed the last part to my son too.

'No one enters this kingdom. And no one lives it' I was looking right into his eyes, until I was sure, he understood the meaning and importance of my words, and the consequences, if he dared to push even his toe out of the front door. That was all, he had to know at the moment. I hurried toward my chambers.

The orc hasn't lied. I've seen it in its yellow bloodthirsty eyes. I took every step monotonically, being lost in dark thoughts, hurtful memories, and another old friend, who had not visited me for a longer time, than I could remember. It was fear of death. But not mine. I was afraid, I had to relive all the loss and pain once again. I was afraid, my kin would not survive any longer, if this darkness reached us. I was afraid, this realm would be perished to the ground in a blink of an eye, and we would be dead, if we stayed only a little longer. Yes. But I was afraid of the fact too, we had no place to go to from here. There was no place you could hide in from this enemy. The panic finally reached my heart, when I was thinking of my son. Legolas. How could I save him?

Crossing the last corridor, nearing to my door, I found myself staring at my feet, only the Valar knew, how long for now. I raised my head, and when I thought, it could not be worse, I glimpsed at Noira, who was waiting for me at the entrance.

She stepped to me, still wearing her wet clothes. I felt her little arms around me, but I was not able to touch her. I felt sick. Her warm smile sent a knife to my heart.

I am not able to survive it once again.

'You don't have to worry' she said softly 'I am safe now' she leaned her head to my chest, and I could feel her warmth and steady heartbeats.

I just can not see her cold any white. I can not hold her lifeless body.

'Are you feeling good?' she looked up at me questioning. I knew, I looked frozen. It was almost impossible to open my mouth.

'Can you' I said finally 'Can you go back?'

'To where?' she wrinkled her forehead.

'To the place you came from' I said impatiently. She lowered her arms, and blinked at me in surprise.

'The place where I came from?' she repeated slowly. I grabbed her strongly.

'There! Can you go back there or not?!'

Please, say yes!

'But... You don't even know, that at the river, I- '

'ANSWER ME!' I roared to her face, and her face went pale.

'Why do you ask me that now-' she said on a trembling voice.

'ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!' I tightened my grab.

'NO' she shouted. 'I CAN NOT!'

'ARE YOU SURE?'

'YES! AND YOU ARE HURTING ME!'

I immediately let go of her. She was right, my palms went white. I was not able to look into her eyes. My sickness grew. I stepped back to take some breath, and calm myself down a bit.

'You should have never come to this cursed land' I said finally, and slapped the doors closed behind me, leaving her there, on the verge of crying. I leaned my back to the door, and waited. Long minutes have passed, when the sound of little steps and closing doors informed me, she walked back to her chamber. Even though it was around noon, I walked to my bed slowly. I haven't slept any last night, if I didn't count that embarrassing scene in the garden, and I didn't know that drunkenness or hungover was, what I felt, but I could easily fall asleep standing. My robes landed on the floor, and I looked into the mirror, what stood on my night stable. The clear worry in my eyes didn't promise a relaxing sleep for me anytime soon.

Noira's POV

I suddenly inhaled, but the air was heavy from blood, iron and eternal pain. I heard loud screams around me, coming from every direction. Screams and roars. It was bloodcurdling. Like a frightening mass, what sent chill along my bones. I forced myself to open my eyes. Golden and dark patches appeared in front of my eyes. Elven soldiers, and orc warriors, it seemed like there were dwarves there too somehow. What the hell was going on?

A heavy blade neared toward me, but an elven shield stopped it only inches above my head. I jumped back, coming to my senses finally.

They were fighting. We were fighting. I took a look at my lifted arms, but instead of an armor, I wore my dress, not to mention, I didn't have any weapons. As usual. I jumped to my feet and started to run. I needed to find something to fight with. In my way, the ground was covered with fresh blood and dead bodies. But I couldn't find a single sword or knife. It was impossible! Some ugly creatures were lying lifelessly too, but the victims were mostly elves.

I was not able to help them, and the sounds became unbearable for now. I couldn't hear any longer, as my kin let out its final sigh. I reached a stone wall, sat down, and closing my eyes, I pressed my palms to my ears. I didn't know, what happened, I couldn't save them, and this wanted to tear my heart apart so badly, I couldn't breathe. It had to be the end of a war. Perhaps. But it was so strange. I didn't remember what caused it.

As I would have felt it, I opened my eyes, just when a heavy body fell toward me, I jumped away quickly. The attacking beast smirked at the dead ellon, and simply walked away. I turned my head toward the body very slowly, for I had a very bad feeling, and I had to cover my mouth not to scream. Fräynn's light blue eyes looked back at me, but couldn't see me. I turned away, and almost fainted from panic.

Where are the others? They have to be here!

Legolas... Thranduil!

'OH MY GOD, THRANDUIL!' I screamed, as the realization broke into my mind. If a nation looses a war, the ruler cannot survive... Never! I started to shout his name. I didn't care anymore, if they hear me, only one thing stayed in my mind. Glaring at all the remain living soldiers, I was running and running, not stopping for even a moment. I was afraid of glancing at the dead, since I could have found familiar faces. I was not attacked, not even followed by anybody. Like a ghost. The little golden patches were less and less, as the time passed. The whole battleground was full of terrible living black monsters. My lungs were burning, as I continued my way, as a madman, not giving up on my tiny little hope for seeing him alive.

Arriving to a high ruin, I glimpsed at something in the crowd. Something too familiar. An ellon laid on the ground. Just like the other thousand. But his armor was silver, ornate and noble, not like the others. And his hair was the most beautiful silver blonde one, I've ever seen. My heart stopped beating. I felt I would faint. I could not take another step to reach him, just collapsed to my heels. The handsome face I stroked, the soft lips I kissed only yesterday, they were covered with dark blood. His scar was visible, he could not hide it any longer. There was a huge wound on his neck. As a reflex, I quickly pressed it, and moved to lean down to his chest for hearing his heart, but finally, I just placed my forehead there, and started to sob bitterly.

I was late.

His eyes were open. Looking at nowhere.

'NO! THRANDUIL! I-I LOVE YOU! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! I roared to his body, and let my teardrops falling freely. 'THRANDUIL, PLEASE! PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU! YOU MUST HEAR IT!'

'I hear you' sounded his distant voice, as a nightmare. It felt like a knife in my heart. Suddenly, two hands grabbed my shoulders. I didn't want to let go of him, just tightened my hug.

'STAY AWAY FROM ME' I screamed as I just could.

The warm palms now cupped my face. I didn't understand it. It was a minute at least, until I started to realize, I was not on the battlefield anymore, and there was not an army around me. The air was not that heavy, only my lungs burned, and nobody wanted to take me away from anywhere. I was lying in my bed, trembling.

The soft fingers wiped the tears away from my face, and I finally took a shaky breath.

'It's okay, Freya, I have nightmares every night'

'And when exactly did you expect to tell me?' sounded a deep voice, and my eyes shot open. An exhausted Thranduil looked back at me on halfway between worry and anger. I sat up quickly. He lowered his hands, and just sat next to me, wearing his silver nightgown. I wanted to stop my tears, I just didn't want him to see me like this, but it was not possible. Only a minute ago I saw him dead. I saw him white and cold, lying in his own dried blood. Everything I knew, everything I felt, everything I wanted to tell him, share with him, all those things were in vain. He could not hear it anymore. I wanted to lie there lifelessly, instead of him, if I only had a choice, but it was too late. The love and loss I've felt was bigger, than I'd ever imagined. I honestly didn't think earlier, I would be able to fall for somebody this much in this life.

But now, he was here. He was breathing, his skin had a healthy color, his eyes were bright, and everything what was impossible was possible now. He lived. I cried again, and hid my face into my palms. Like an idiot, I didn't even blink. I was afraid, he would disappear, if I closed my eyes again.

The bed lifted a little, as he stood up. I panicked, and grabbed his hand.

'You need some herbs' he explained on a calm voice.

'N-No... C-Could you... stay here... just a little more?' I sobbed. When I realized, what I'v asked, sitting in my bed, wearing a single nightgown, I expected to apologize, but then without a word, he sat back, leaned his back to my pillows, and pulled me into his hug. It felt like a strong shield, what could protect me even from my own dreams. I was still trembling a little, and he kissed the top of my head.

' Av-'osto*' he whispered, and my eyes closed again. I placed my head onto his chest, and in a minute, I was on the verge of sleeping again.

'Noira' I heard his sleepy voice half-consciously 'Are you sure, there's no way for you to go back to your land?'

'There's no any land of mine' I murmured against his clothes 'Lucien destroyed it' and with this, I drifted back to a deep slumber, listening to his steady heartbeats, inhaling his intoxicating scent.

°°

As the outside world went calm and silent slowly, I started to find my consciousness. My eyes were closed, but I could find out, it had to be sunset, or maybe later. I didn't sense any light in the room. The chilly wind stroked my arm, and face, what was out of the warm blanket, but I was not cold. Even if I forgot to close the windows, the heavy material what I felt on my waist and chest, gave me so much warmth, it felt like lying in a stove. I could easily sleep another month under it. Its weight was so relaxing, and the pillow under my arm was the most comfortable, I've ever slept with. These elves knew something... At home, we were always on missions, and were forced to sleep on the hard ground.

Soon, I remembered, I had frightening dreams just after I went to sleep, as always. I remembered of the moment, when the king came here, woke me up, and tried to comfort me. It was so kind from him. I smiled from ear to ear. If anybody in his realm knew, how beautiful his heart was.

Tightening my grab on the pillow, I tried to drift back into my slumber. Only one thing frustrated me. A little hairbreadth were tickling my nose endlessly. I let it happen for a while. I was too lazy to move. However, it irritated me more and more with every second. I let out a deep sigh finally, and with a rough move, tore it out. Strangely, it didn't hurt.

'Ouch' I heard the pillow's faint groan.

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* Don't be afraid!